The present invention relates to a combined disc recorder and label printer for recording digital information on compact discs, including music, video recordings, and any other type of information recorded on plastic discs. Printing label information onto the disc at the time of recording completes the processing of the disc.
Apparatus for printing on plastic discs have been advanced in the art where a recorder for a disc is combined in the same unit as a printer, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,230. However, the device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,230 includes a vending sequence, and uses entirely different mechanisms for the printing and the recording. The disc xe2x80x9cpickxe2x80x9d or holder that transports the disc between various stations is separate from the printer.
The handling of discs that have center openings, including lifting a single disc from a stack of discs or individually from a tray or support is well known. A number of different types of xe2x80x9cpicksxe2x80x9d or grippers have been advanced including a pick or gripper shown in Costas U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,692, as well as other types of grippers such as that shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,111,847 and 5,934,865.
Also, it has been well known to print xe2x80x9clabelxe2x80x9d information directly onto discs. Recording or disc duplication also has been carried out, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,298 to Miller, but the combination of an easily used ink jet printer that will reliably print information onto a disc when it is recorded, with a minimum amount of apparatus is desired.
The present invention combines a compact disc recorder (duplicator or burner) and printer that minimizes the amount of apparatus that is used, and which preferably utilizes a common support shaft for the printhead and the disc transporter for sequencing a disc between processes. The blank discs are generally a plastic disc, and are termed compact discs or xe2x80x9cCD""sxe2x80x9d; DVD""s; and recordable DVDs, mini discs and name badge discs. The peripheral shapes are not only circular, but can be rectilinear or with parallel sides and rounded or curved ends.
In the present invention, a feature is that the printer that is used for printing onto the discs is an inkjet printer that moves along a bearing shaft, with a power drive. The printhead is guided on this shaft in a lateral direction for printing, while the item on which it is recording will be moved in a direction perpendicular to the shaft. As shown the same shaft is used for mounting a disc xe2x80x9cpickerxe2x80x9d or gripper, so that the unit is integrated into one compact assembly, utilizing a minimum amount of individual framework, or supports, making for a more compact arrangement and making more efficient use of the supports. A separate, parallel shaft or guide can be used for the picker mounting.
Specifically, a CD printer of a well known design can be used. U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,722 shows a thermal printer with a CD support tray that fees a CD past a thermal printhead. The CD or disc support tray drive shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,722 can be used with ink jet printers as well. Disc recorders or duplicators available on the open market can be used in the apparatus of the present invention. The duplicating mechanism and the printer both utilize trays that will extend from the recorder or the printer housing under a control program. The trays extend to a position where a disc can be placed onto the respective tray for the respective operation. The blank discs are stored in a stack or storage area, and are lifted with the disc gripper or picker head that is mounted on a vertically moveable arm. The arm is supported on a carriage that slides along a bearing shaft which also is used for mounting the printhead.
The operations can be sequenced. For example, the blank disc can be picked from the supply and moved to a position overlying the tray for the disc burner or recorder when it is extended, and then dropped in place. The programmed control will cause the disc to move into the CD burner or recorder, and after the information is recorded, the tray will be moved back to the extended position where the disc is accessible for the disc gripper or picker to lift the disc up from that tray and hold it in a raised position clearing the tray of the CD burner or recorder.
The program will then cause the recorder or burner tray to retract, and the printer tray is caused to extend. The printer tray, when extended, will be generally in registry with the position of the burner or recorder tray when the recorder tray is extended, so that the disc can be moved down from its raised position by the gripper or pick down onto the printer tray. The CD is released, the picker is retracted and the printer then will be operated to print label information according to a program onto the newly recorded disc. When the printing operation is done, the program control will cause the picker to again lift the CD from the printer tray and transport it to a storage area where the finished disc or CD is stacked.
The picker or gripper is mounted onto an arm that is on a carriage mounted on the same bearing shaft and support as the printhead for the printer. This eliminates separate mountings, and makes the assembly much more compact and also increases reliability. The carriage for the disc pickup arm releasably latches onto the printhead for movement along the rail. This eliminates the need for a separate drive for the picker or grip carriage. The grip or pick is moved vertically with a separate threaded rod driven by a stepper motor. The alignment of the disc with the tray is greatly simplified.